The Bond Blueprint

Throughout all the James Bond films there are certain patterns, cliches and storytelling tools that consistently reoccur time and time again. They have become the key ingredients in what makes a Bond film a ‘Bond film’.

The goal of The Bond Blueprint project was to take a look at all those essential components of the 007 films. Plot devices, required scenes, roles, their functions, mandatory recurring characters and of course how our hero will navigate his way through his cinematic adventure and be left triumphant in the end.

This was a project I did several years ago. I only focused on the films from Dr. No (1962) to License To Kill (1989) – including the ‘unofficial’ Bond film Never Say Never Again. This was mainly because I hadn’t covered the latter Bond films at the time I made this Blueprint project. However, you can find the tracings of the Bond Blueprint in the 007 films starring Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Essentially this was a fun exercise of something I had always wanted to discuss. Hopefully fellow Bond fans will enjoy it.

2 Responses

I have to ask. I know you stated you won't give a quick video movie review of Skyfall. But I wonder if you might consider of a small video review of the whole 50th Bond with the Oscars coming up to celebrate Bond. In my opinion, 2012 will go down as the Best year Bond has ever had. Great Movie, right promo, and extra Bond content with the EON doc that come out. Compare with Die another Day, this feels the stars came into alinement. I mean 1 Billion in Box Office, the producers must be feeling like Goldfinger with all the Business Bond did for it's 50th. The fan site Mi6 HQ talks about how this time Oscars won't treat Bond as cheesy then 1982 when Sheelie Easton perform "For Your Eyes Only" using the setting of "Moonraker". Here's the link.http://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=10735&catid=4&t=mi6&s=news

During your review of "Tomorrow Never Dies" or "The World is Not Enough," you mention the "rule of three" for Bond films- the idea that an actor's third Bond film seems to be his best, or at least a fan favorite. Of course, this rule was butchered by TWINE, but restored by Skyfall in my opinion.

I wonder if you've noticed a "rule of two" with the Bond films- with the exception of From Russia with Love, each second Bond film seems to be a letdown for the actor- "The Man With The Golden Gun" and "License to Kill" where the second Bond films for Moore and Dalton, and they suffered at the box office. "Tomorrow Never Dies" represented a big dip in quality from "Goldeneye" and made less money, and "Quantum of Solace" was a HUGE drop from "Casino Royale." Something to think about…maybe Bond actors should skip No. 2 and go straight to No. 3…;>)